Jinchuriki

Great Fireball, the Uchiha clan's signature ninjutsu.

As a prodigious young girl, Otome couldn't travel to the Land of Rain, but she didn't idle at home either. After diligent training, she mastered this Fire Release ninjutsu, living up to her genius reputation.

As for Minato.

He was an unexpected bonus. In the Land of Rain, he gained Jiraiya's favor. While Sakumo was giving Katsuki private lessons, Minato also had a bored Jonin guiding him in learning ninjutsu.

Wind and fire combined are naturally not as simple as one plus one equals two.

Wind fuels fire, and even a C-rank Great Fireball's power rivaled a B-rank ninjutsu. The alley wasn't wide to begin with, and this amplified Great Fireball instantly filled it, crushing forward like a bulldozer.

Minato and Otome's coordination was excellent. They struck the dog-faced mask Anbu during his charge, releasing their ninjutsu almost simultaneously.

They hit him squarely.

"Can we defeat him?" Otome was a little nervous.

"Difficult!"

Katsuki shook his head, continuing to create shadow clones. His clones were everywhere, by the wall and on top of it.

A ninja proficient in Earth Release couldn't be said to be overwhelmingly powerful, but their ability to survive was definitely outstanding. Sakumo had told him this. Whether it was hardening jutsu or stealth techniques, they were extremely effective means of survival.

Among the ninjas from various villages Sakumo had fought, his definition of Stone Ninjas was 'slippery' and the hardest to kill. A subterranean stealth technique made one grit their teeth in frustration. Without proficiency in Earth Release, it was difficult to deal with these guys who were determined to escape.

"Anbu aren't that easy to deal with."

Minato's nerves were taut, fine blue veins bulging slightly on the back of his hand. His sapphire eyes were filled with vigilance.

"Crack!"

Earth and rock shattered, and a hand emerged from beneath Minato's feet, reaching for his ankle. Then... it missed.

The moment the ground beneath him moved, Minato darted away like a startled rabbit.

In an instant, all the Anbu watching from the shadows were stunned.

"Did I see wrong?"

"Is this a ghost?"

"Such fast reflexes."

A Ninja Academy student actually dodged a surprise attack from an Anbu ninja skilled in stealth. It completely overturned their understanding of the world.

Naturally, they could see that Minato hadn't mastered any reconnaissance ninjutsu. He had dodged entirely through his astonishing reflexes, reacting by instinct. He was so fast... like a flash of light.

Earth Release, Rock Rods.

Katsuki's reaction wasn't slow. Although slightly inferior to Minato's monstrous instincts, he still responded immediately. Stone pillars rose from the ground, interweaving like a forest on the ground, firmly locking the arm that had emerged from the surface.

Fire Release, Great Fireball Technique.

Their coordination was so seamless, everything flowed as if rehearsed countless times, smooth and natural, without any stiffness.

Following Katsuki's attack, Otome once again refined her remaining chakra and unleashed another Great Fireball, bombarding the interweaving stone pillars.

The orange-red flames, carrying scorching heat and immense power, turned the sturdy stone pillars into paper under this mighty force. The heatwave swept over them, making them brittle, and they were easily shattered.

The Anbu hidden in the shadows fell silent. The skills displayed by the three youngsters surpassed their imagination. This was already the strength of Genin, and most ordinary Genin hadn't mastered ninjutsu. Unlike these three, who had already mastered ninjutsu at such a young age, especially the blond-haired kid, who possessed the rare Wind Release.

The earth, scorched by the flames, turned black and then crumbled, like a biscuit being crushed. The dog-faced mask Anbu emerged from underground, looking rather disheveled and extremely dejected. This time, he had completely failed.

Although he had only been disheveled and hadn't sustained any substantial damage, his inner feelings were akin to being violated by a dog. He had suffered a great mental defeat.

"All of you, stop."

A figure appeared on the alley wall, kicking away Katsuki's many clones with a series of popping explosions like firecrackers.

A tanuki-faced mask, a white hooded cloak. Katsuki suppressed the urge to attack. This person was an Anbu captain, at least a Special Jonin at the weakest. More likely, this was a Jonin, a powerful being they couldn't resist with mere passion.

"Stand down."

Standing on the wall, a pair of cold eyes swept over the dog-faced mask Anbu. The latter bowed respectfully, not saying a word, and vanished into the darkness.

Here we go!

Icy gazes fell upon Katsuki. He tilted his head back, meeting the Anbu captain's eyes without fear.

"You three follow me. Mito-sama wishes to see you," the Anbu captain said coldly, then turned to leave.

It worked!

From the beginning, Katsuki hadn't expected to force his way in. Even if they could defeat one Anbu, who knew how many experts were hidden nearby? Forcing their way in was hopeless. He just wanted to cause a commotion. As long as he could attract the attention of the mansion, it would be enough.

In terms of results, it wasn't a wasted effort.

The three followed him into the Senju compound. Katsuki immediately felt the difference from usual. Although there were many Anbu guards in the mansion daily, they weren't as overtly murderous as today, almost without any concealment.

Minato and Otome also felt the pressure. Their faces were stern, doing their best to remain composed.

They walked in silence and soon arrived outside a door.

Before they could knock, it opened silently. Looking up, they saw Mito, dressed in formal attire, kneeling behind a low table, her posture straight and her gaze sharp.

There wasn't the slightest hint of someone nearing death.

"You three little rascals were making such a racket outside, were you trying to tear down the house? This old woman couldn't even sleep because of you," the old woman questioned, her imposing aura pressing down on the three.

"Great Aunt Mito, I apologize," Katsuki said frankly, scratching his head and apologizing directly. Then, his voice rose slightly as he declared loudly, "But I'm not here to disturb your sleep. I just want to know where my sister is?"

Minato and Otome tightly closed their mouths, kneeling on either side of Katsuki.

"Kushina... you little rascal, if I tell you where Kushina is, what do you plan to do?"

"I'll be the Jinchuriki. My sister is a girl, so it's more suitable for me to do this," Katsuki gritted out.

Mito narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Whether it's suitable or not isn't up to you, little rascal. Jinchuriki are vital existences in the village; it's not something that can be changed with a single sentence."